When traveling in Thailand, the rules change and some are very curious. Here is a collection of driving and traffic tidbits, a small tongue-in-face, but still a fact of life in Thailand.
Q: How many people fit a small scooter in Thailand?
A: 3 or 4 is not uncommon, but I saw 5. Only two are legitimate, but no one cares about it. One of my friends, after reading my article, said he saw 7 on a bike. Now it's very rare!
Q: What helmet is the most popular in Thailand?
A: The one who gets the fine. This is mostly a super cheap pro-helmet that costs around $ 3 or $ 4. – God is forbidden to defend himself in an accident.
Q: Why don't they wear a lot of Thais on their motorcycles?
A: For girls – spoils their hair. It's not good for the guys. Helmets paid money. Helmets steal. As you can see, there are many good reasons not to wear one.
Q: Is there a law in Thailand that requires you to wear a helmet?
A: Yes. Here in Chiang Mai the fine is 400 baht or about $ 12. In reality, few people pay because the cop is often slipped by 100 bytes or $ 3, and the problem is solved. You spend less money and the cop replenishes your weak pay. Everyone is happy.
Many riders hold a helmet in the small basket in front of the handlebar to be able to place it if it looks like there is a police check.
Q: Do the cops stop for bikers who don't wear a helmet?
A: Depends on the area. In Bangkok, the rules are quite strict. In many rural areas they do not prevail at all. Here in Chiang Mai we often meet with a police team at a crossroads and stop without a bicycle knight without a helmet. But this is only the hour of the official stop-the-helmetless riders. As the cops abandoned the official signing task and continued their usual duties, they were less interested in wearing a helmet or not. You may be riding a little moped with 4 people and you can't see any helmets, and the same cop who just stopped everyone at the intersection pulls the light up and doesn't even flash. This is indeed a selective implementation.
Q: Do you need a driving license to drive a motorcycle in Thailand?
A: Yes, you need a license, but many drivers simply don't bother you. After all, it is a hassle. You have to test, you have to spend money, learn the rules – why it bothered. In most cases, the test does not make anyone a better driver. In Thailand, 12-year-olds are able to drive a small motorcycle and have seen even younger shoots. Must be legally 15 years old to ride a bike.
I know people who have been driving their bicycles without permission for decades. If the cops stop them, they ask for their permission. But if you don't have one, you will only pay a small fine, and that's it. However, drivers usually have a driving license.
Q: Who is the fault of the accident?
A: In most cases, anyone with a larger vehicle has to pay. If a truck reaches the car, the truck is defective without the car, it is so obviously bad that the driver could not avoid the accident. If a car collides with a motorcycle, the driver is automatically defective, even if the motorcycle driver is wrong and illegal. Don't ask me to explain this!
Q: Only pedestrian traffic lights – must you stop?
A: Yes, in theory. In practice, most drivers stop when they see someone trying to cross the road. If they don't see anybody, they're just moving in the red light.
Q: Are motorcycles easily kidnapped?
A: Yes, a thriving business. Since most bikes are small and light, two men can easily grab one and throw it into the back of a pickup. The lock does not help at all. Bikes can be sold easily in areas where there is little or no police presence, or in Burma, Laos or Cambodia (in neighboring third countries), or they can be taken and sold as part of it. My solution is to drive a heavy bike that takes at least 4 people. I hope it helps. By the way, you can not buy theft insurance for motorcycles if you are more than two years old.
In summary, traffic rules differ from west in Thailand. Some may look strange, but if you get used to these rules or features, you won't be able to help. I have been driving in Thailand for 10 years without accident. Knock it down!
Source by Shama Kern